Qualified Charitable Distributions

The CARES act temporarily waives required minimum distributions (RMDs) for all types of retirement plans (including IRAs, 401(k)s, 403(b)s, 457(b)s, and inherited IRA plans) for calendar year 2020. This includes the first RMD, which individuals may have delayed from 2019 until April 1, 2020.

(Also referred to as Charitable IRA Rollover Gifts)

Did you know the gift of a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) benefits donors aged 70½ and up?

The Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) is an excellent way to show your support for Mother Jonesand receive tax benefits in return. As you plan your required minimum distributions (RMD), consider using your IRA account to make the most of your charitable giving. You receive a tax benefit even if you take the standard deduction!

Of note: while the new SECURE Act has raised the age to 72 for Required Minimum Distributions, donors may still make QCD gifts starting the year they turn 70 ½.

It’s important to consider your tax situation before deciding whether to make a charitable contribution from your IRA. Be sure to share this gift plan with your financial advisor.

To qualify

You must be 70½ or older at the time of gift.

Distributions must be made directly from a traditional IRA account by your IRA administrator to Mother Jones.

Gifts must be outright, meaning they go directly to Mother Jones. Distributions to donor-advised funds or life-income arrangements such as charitable remainder trusts and charitable gift annuities do not qualify.

Gifts from 401k, 403b, SEP and other plans do not qualify. Ask your financial advisor if it would make sense for you to create a traditional IRA account so you can benefit from an IRA Qualified Charitable Distribution.

Tax Benefits

IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions are excluded as gross income for federal income tax purposes on your IRS Form 1040.

The gift counts toward your required minimum distribution for the year in which you made the gift.

You could avoid a higher tax bracket that might otherwise result from adding an RMD to your income.

Example

John is 72 years old and wants to make a gift to Mother Jones. He has $500,000 in his IRA and wants to gift $20,000. He can authorize the administrator of his IRA to distribute $20,000 to Mother Jones. Because the IRA Qualified Charitable Distribution is excluded from income, John will not be eligible for a charitable income tax deduction — but he still receives tax savings. The $20,000 distributed to Mother Jones will be counted toward his annual minimum required distribution and he will not pay income tax on the portion given to the organization.

Questions and Answers

The QCD allows individuals 70½ and older to make direct distributions up to $100,000 per year to 501(c)(3) charities without having to count the distributions as income for federal income tax purposes. No charitable deduction may be taken, but distributions will qualify for all or part of the IRA owner’s required minimum distributions.

Distributions must come from your IRAs directly to Mother Jones. If you wish to help us with a gift from another retirement asset such as a 401k, 403b, etc., you must first roll those funds into an IRA. Then you can direct the IRA administrator to distribute the funds from the IRA directly to Mother Jones.

Federal — You do not recognize the distribution to Mother Jones as income, provided it goes directly from the IRA administrator to us. Therefore, you are not entitled to an income tax charitable deduction for your gift.

State — Each state has different laws, so you will need to consult with your own advisors. Some states have a state income tax and will include this distribution as income. Within those states, some will allow for a state income tax charitable deduction and others will not. Other states base their income tax on the federal income or federal tax paid. Some states have no income tax at all.

We offer a sample letter you can send to your plan provider to initiate the distribution. Please let your plan administrator know this gift must be sent prior to December 31 to qualify as a charitable distribution for the tax year. Make sure you contact us by phone at (415) 321-1700 when you direct the distribution so we can look for the check from your IRA administrator.

Important Notes:

If your administrator provides you an IRA checkbook, please note that the date of your QCD is NOT the date you send the distribution check, but the date that your IRA administrator transfers the funds to the charity. If you want your distribution check to be credited toward the current tax year, it is critical that you mail your check several weeks before the end of the year to ensure there is time for the check to be received by common reporting standards (CRS) and to clear your account. This is especially true if you are relying on those gifts to fulfill your required minimum distribution.

Documentation

There are several ways to send a gift from a qualified retirement account to Mother Jones. Once you’ve decided how you want the check sent to us, follow the appropriate procedure below.

If you are requesting that your IRA administrator send a check directly to Mother Jones:

Notify your plan administrator, preferably in writing, that the documentation accompanying the check must include your name and address. You can use our sample letter to make your request.

If you have check-writing capability on your IRA account:

If your name and address are not printed on your check, include that information along with your check.

If your IRA administrator is sending the check directly to you, the check must be payable to the Mother Jones:

Make a copy of the check for yourself. Send the original check, and include your name and address, to Mother Jones.

An important note: No matter how your check is sent to the Mother Jones, we need your name and address to accompany the check in order to correctly credit and acknowledge your gift.

Questions? Please contact us by phone at (415) 321-1700. We are here to help.

Be sure to check with your financial advisor to determine whether this gift plan is right for you. This information is not meant as tax or legal advice.